How to Study for the IB Diploma Over Summer

Picture this: school is out, the sun is shining, you and your friends have organised the most epic trip to the beach…

Sounds dreamy right?

And then it hit you. Yes, you are still an IB student, even in summer.

Doing school work over summer sucks, let’s all agree on that now. Annoyingly, being an IB student does necessitate you do some. Fear not though. In this blog, I am outlining my top 4 tips for studying over summer while ensuring you still get a break.

Number 1: Pick Your Target

Let’s be real, you are NEVER going to revise everything you did in year 1 of the diploma. There is way too much fun stuff going on to even contemplate it. I advise picking your target, or rather, selecting your problem areas and working on them. If you found a few topics of Biology confusing, revise that. If your Extended Essay is stressing you, take the time to crack it. Focusing on your real areas of weakness now means that you won’t find yourself stressing about them right before your final exams.

Number 2: Create a Schedule

I know you have heard this advice about 10,000 times but it really is the best thing you can do. As it’s summer, don’t go overboard with planning. It’s impossible to plan minute by minute when you haven’t got the structure of school. However, simply selecting several days throughout the month where you plan to work can be the motivation you need to get studying. My best tip would be to plan to study on these days with a friend. That way you can motivate each other to get out of bed and research your EEs!

Number 3: Be Realistic

We are all guilty of having grand revision plans over the summer and then watching 7 seasons of Pretty Little Liars instead… My next tip, therefore, is to be realistic about how much and when you can study. For example, if you are going on holiday, you are not going to be sitting on the beach reading a physics textbook. Instead, leave that whole holiday clear of study so you actually get a chance to enjoy yourself.

Number 4: Take Some Time Off!

The IB is hard! Summer holidays shouldn’t be… The worst thing you can possibly do at this point in time is to burn out. Take this time to recharge and destress. Sunbathe, play Fortnite, eat ice-cream—these are all essential summer activities that need to be done. Ultimately, coming back to school rested from summer will make a world of difference.